Wellington
Piano Lessons | Recorder Lessons, Singing Lessons, Violin Lessons | Artist development, Aural Lessons, Theory Lessons, Music And Movement For Under Fives, Online Lessons
Bio
Erika Grant is a Wellington-based multi-instrumentalist. She plays piano, bass, violin, cello and gongs, among many others. She was born into a musical family, and began formal musical studies at age 7.
She studied Contemporary Music Performance at MAINZ in the years 1998/1999, completing a diploma and being awarded the top academic marks of her year.
Erika has played in Wellington bands “Fertility Festival” “Cookie Brooklyn and The Crumbs” and “Orchestra of Spheres”, amongst many others, and has collaborated with musicians such as Jeff Henderson, Nell Thomas, Riki Gooch, Chris O’Connor, David Long and Rosie Langabeer.
She has worked with theatre groups “The Playground Collective”, “Ake Ake Theatre Company” Stephen Bain’s “The Floating Theatre”, and performed with Rosie Langabeer’s “The Best Most Happiest Fun Sexy Cabaret of Good Fortune and Prosperity” in 2021 and 2022.
In 2009, Erika received the Chapmann Tripp Award for Outstanding Composer of Music for “The Playground Collective’s” production “Bedlam”.
She has also made 5 live soundtracks for the Wellington Film Society between the years 2011 and 2023.
Between 2011 and 2018, Erika toured through Europe, China, the USA and Iceland, playing the bass carillion with her band, well known Wellington act “Orchestra of Spheres”, who have opened for bands such as Caribou, Omar Soulyman and Silver Apples. Over those years they released 4 albums and played hundreds of gigs.
Erika taught piano at Thorndon Primary School between the years 2015 – 2021, and currently has multiple private students.
She is currently exploring the healing and relaxation properties of sound through her gong bathing practice here in Wellington, where she regularly host both community and private gong bathing events. For more on these please see https://www.facebook.com/gong.bathing.with.erika
Teaching Info
I love finding out what an individual is passionate about and starting from there. Whether it’s contemporary, experimental or popular styles that you’re interested in, I can take you through the theoretical and practical steps. We can dissect a pop song or learn classical theory, understand harmony through singing, you name it.
I can adapt my style of teaching to suit exactly what is it you’re wanting to get out of your instrument. I have found that a mix of both formal study (bookwork, technique) and improvisation can be great, especially for those wanting to work on their creativity.
I can teach from my home studio, or I can come to your home, and I also offer online teaching.